Printing mechanism



Feb. 18, 1930. o. 1 SUNDSTRAND 1,747,743

PRINTING MECHANI SM Fld June 4. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 18, 1930. O,J, SUNDSTRAND 1,747,743

PRINTING MECANISM Filed June 4, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J WK Feb. 18,1930. o, 1 SUNDSTRAND 1,747,743

PRINTING MECHANISM Filed June 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 18,1930 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE OSCAR J. SUNDSTRAND, OF ROCKFORD,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 SUNDSTRAND CORPO- RATION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PRINTING MECHANISM Original application filedOctober 25, 1923, Serial No.

1928. Serial This application is a division of my application Serial No.670,665, filed October 25, 1923. The invention herein claimed has forits primary object the provision of a hammercontrolling mechanism whichshall not place any friction or pressure upon the type bars while thelatter are being moved to printing position.

A further object is to provide improved means for controlling the hammerfor the sign-printing type bar.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmental sectional view. illustrating a printingmechanism embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the hammer mechanism. Y

Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view of the printing mechanism in itsinitial position or position of rest.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of two pivoted plates that carry auniversal latch-restoring bar. Y

Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional View showing the means for controllingthe latch associated with the sign-printing hammer. l

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the hammercontrolling latches.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a certain detent.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the hammers.

Fig. 9 looking chine.

`igs. 10 and 11 are detail views of certain parts comprised in thehammer mechanism.

The sheet or tape on which the items -and totals are to be printed'andthe calculations recorded may be supported in various ways. In thepresent instance, a cylindrical platen 2 is employed. The printing iseffected by means of type bars' 3 which in vthis instance are verticallyrecprocatory, one such ing provided for each numerical order, type barsare arranged compactly side by side. Each type bar 3 is provided at itsupper end with type 9.' f

The means for vertically moving each bar 3 into and out of printingposition comprises an arm 10 carrying a. headed stud that lies in is aview of the hammer mechanism from the left-hand side of the ma- 670,665.Divided and this application led J'une 4, No. 282,599.

an elongated opening 11 in the type bar. The arm 10 is loosely mountedon a shaft 12 which is supported in the framework of the machine. Rigidwith the arm 10 is, an arm 13 which is yieldingly connected through twohelically coiled contractile springs 14 to a rod 15. The latter iscarried by two side members 16 (one at each side of the machine) whichare guided for approximately vertical movement. Pivoted to the upperends of the side members 16 are two levers 19 which are mounted in theframework of the machine to swing on the axis 19a. To the lower ends ofthe levers 19 are pivoted links 23, the forward ends of which arepivoted to two crank arms 24 and 25 (Figs. 1, 5 and 9) fixed to oppositeends of the main rock shaft 26. The shaft 26 is arranged to be rocked bymeans of a handle or crank 27 mounted to swing upon the axis 28, saidhandle being connected to the arm 24 by suitable means, as, for example,that disclosed in the Sundstrand Patent No. 1,611,390, dated December21, 1926. It will, of course, be'understood that an electric motor maybe used to rock'the shaft 26, if

desired.

When the operator pulls the handle 27 forward, the crank arms 24 and 25swing upwardly, thereby drawing the lower ends of the levers 19forwardly and moving the side members 16 and the rod 15 downwardly. Themovementof the rod 15 is yieldingly transmitted through the springs 14and the arms 13 and 10 to such of the bars 3 as are at libeity to rise.When the operator releases the handle upon the completion of the forwardstroke, those bars 3 which were .raised in the forward stroke of thehandle are moved down by means comprising a transverse rod 29 overlyingthe forward portions of the arms 10.

1f desired, means may be provided for printing a distinguishingcharacter in connection with certain impressions. Herein is shown aspecial sign-printing bar 3 (Fig. 5) which is constructed and mountedsubstantially like the type bars 3. The imprint of the upper typecarriedby the bar 3 serves as the Total sign when in red and as the Nonadd sign'when in blue. Means of any preferred character, as, for example, thatfully disclosed in my application Serial No. 670,665 may be employed toraise the type bar 3 to the desired extent and to return it to normalposition.

For each type bar 3 and 3 there is a hammer 300, 300', respectively. Theshape of these hammers is best shown in Fig. 8. The hammers are pivotedon a rod 141", and are impelled against the type by individualcontractile springs 301. After each printing operation those hammerswhich took part therein are restored to normal position, or cockech by auniversal rod 302 arranged to overlie lugs 303 on the hammers. The rod302 is attached to a sheet-metal stamping which virtually constitutes anarm 304 ivoted at 305 in the machine frame. jaid stamping comprises anarm 306 (Figs. 2, 3 and 9) carrying a roller 307 that runs on a cam 308fixed to the arm 25. A contractile spring 309 attached io a lug 310 onthe arm 304 assists to hold the roller in contact with the cam. Asthecam 308 completes its upward swing the surface 311 positively forces therod 302 to the upward limit of its movement. As the cam swingsdownwardly, the surface 312 positively forces the rod 302 down.

On the left-hand side of each hammer is a pin 313 (Figs. 2 and 9). Atthe left-hand side of each hammer is a latch 314 .(Fig. 6) pivoted onthe center 315. The latch for the sign-printing hammer is designated314. In the present embodiment of the invention, gravity is availed ofto swing the latches downward, the vforward ends of the latches beingheavier than the rear ends` thereof. The rear ends of the latches extendinto the spaces between the type bars; and each latch Y carries on itsright-hand side a pin 316 adapted to engage the forward edge of theadjacent type bar. The upper portion of said edge has a notch 317therein which registers with the pin 316 when the type bar is down andwhich is above the pin when the type bar is raised to print the numeral1.or a higher numeral.

Referring now to Fig. 6, it will be noted that each latch is providedwith a projection 318. Vhen the pin 316 on the latch stands in contactwith the edge of a raised type bar, the

projection 318 is out of the path of the pinv 313,y on the associatedhammer, but when the pin 316 is in the notch 317 the projection 318 isin the path of said pin 313.

Although the weight of the forward ends of the latches 314 tends toplace the pins 316- against the type bars, they are not allowed toengage the type bars until near the end of the forward stroke of thehandle 27, at which time those type bars which are to take part in theprinting operation have reached printing position. By thus avoidingfriction on the type bars, the latter rise more promptly and are sure toreach printing position before the aliner (not herein shown) acts,thereby rendering possible very rapid operation of the machine withoutdanger of inaccurate registration and printing. The means forrestraining the latches until the type ba rs h ave reached printingposition comprises a universal bar 319 lying behind the lower portionsof the latches and carried by two plates or arms 320 (Fig. 4), one ateach side of the set of hammers and latches. The arms 320 are pivoted onthe rod 1411. Contractile springs 321 tend to raise the arms 320 andthus move the bar 319 rearwardly away from the latches. On the forwardend of each arm 320 are lugs 322 and 323 arranged to be engaged by thebar 302. As the bar 302 rises, it engages the lugs 322 and positivelymoves the rod 319 away from the latches, leaving the latter free toswing into engagement with the type bars. In the downward movement ofthe bar 302 it engages the f lugs 323, restores to normal position anylatches that may have moved into engagement with the type bars, andplaces the rod 319 in position to restrain the latches from moving intoengagement with the type bars.

In order that the rod 319 shall not move out of latch-restrainingposition until the type bars have moved to printing position, I providetwo detents 324 (Figs. 3, 5 and 7),

one at each side of the group of hammers and latches, which detents arepivoted at 315 7 and are held by contractile springs 326 against pins327 on the arms 320. The detents 324 are notched at 328 to receive thepins 327. W hen the machine is at rest, the

lforward ends of the detents 324 bear against the pins 327 and hold therod 319 in latchrestraining position. In the upward movelnent of the barv302 said bar engages the lugs 322 and raises the arms 320 against thetension of the springs 326 until the pins 327 pass into the notches 328in the detents 324, thus moving the rod 319 out of latch-restrainingposition and holding it there until the rod 302 in its downward movementstrikes the lugs 323 andv forces the pins 327 lout of the notches 328,when the springs 326 complete the movement of the rod 319 into lateh.

restraining position.

A universal latch 329 (Figs. 2, 3 and 9) adapted to engage the lugs 303on the hammers is pivoted at 330 and is normally held 1n position torestrain the hammers by means of a contractile spring 331. The latch 329carries a stud 332 which is normally held by the spring 331 against theupper arm of a lever 333 (Fig. 10) pivoted at 334 in the machine frame.To the lower arm of the lever 333 is pivoted at 335 a catch 336 carryinga pin 337. A contractile spring 338 connected to the pin 337 normallyholds said pin against a lug 339 (Fig. 10) on the lever 333 and thusholds the upper arm of said lever against a stop pin 340 on the machineframe. The arm 25 has a stud 341`which in the upward swing of said armengages the beveled lower side of the catch 336 and raises said catchagainst the tension of its spring 338, the catch turning on its pivot335. As the studi341 completes its upward movement it slips into a notch342 in the catch 336. As the arm 25 begins to return, the stud 341causes the catch 336 and the lever 333 to turn on the pivot 334, therebyforcing the universal latch 329 away from the lugs 303, the stud 341soon thereafter leaving the notch 342 The notches 317 are of such lengththat the slight upward movement of the type bars y into position toprint ciphers does not carry said notches above the studs 316;consequently, when a cipher is to be printed other means must beemployedto hold the projection 318 out of the path of the pin 313 on the hammerthat is to cause printing of the cipher. The means herein shown for thispurpose .consists of a` lug 343 on each latch 314 arranged to overliethe latch next to the left. When any latch 314 is held up by engagementof Iits stud 316 with an elevated type bar, all the latches to the rightare likewise su ported in position to permit operation of t eir hammers.The latch 314B has no lug 343.

In summarizing the operation of the hammer mechanism, reference will bemade to Fig. 3, which shows the machine at rest, the type bars beingdown, the hammers being held cocked by the restoring rod 302, and thelatches 314 being held with their pins 316 away from the type bars Anumber hav ing been set up, the handle 27 is pulled. As the restoringrod 302 rises, the hammers move slightly until the lugs 303 are stoppedby the universal-latch 329. When the surface 311 (Fig. 9) engages theroller 307 the rod 302 completes its upward movement, the engagement ofsaid rod with the lugs 322 cansing the latch-restraining rod 319 to moveback away from the latches 314, whereupon said latches swing by gravityuntil the pinsl 316 stop against the type bars. In the case ot thosetype bars which are at the left of the type bars needed in printing thenumber set up (and which consequently have not been raised), the pins316 swing far enough to enter the notches 317 of said non-elevated typebars, thus placing the projections 318 in the path of the pins 313 onthe hammers for those type bars. In the case of those type bars whichhave been raised, the pins 316 stop against the edges of said type barsbelowthe i notches 317, whereby the projections 318 are prevented frommoving into the path of the pins 313 onthe hammers for said type barsandany type bars 3 to the right thereof. At the beginning of the returnmovement of the handlei27, the/pull of the stud 341 on the 'catch 336causes the universal latch 329 to swing forward away( from the lugs 303,whereupon those hammers which arenot. re-

the` lugs 303 being beveled so as to slip past the V latch 329, and saidlatch being universal moved by its spring 331 into elfective engagementwith the lugs 303 as soon as the lugs on the released hammers have beendrawn down below the latch. As the rod"y 302 completes its downwardmovement it engages the lugs 323 and pulls the arms 320 down until thepins 327 leave the notches 328, whereupon the springs 326 complete thedownward movement of the arms 320 and thus place the rod 319 inlatch-restraining posil tion.

The sign-printing bar 3 (Fig. 5) is nor-- mally approximately inposition to print the Total sign and the Non-add sign. There being noupward movement of said type bar to be availed of to restrain the latch314'. when these signs are to be printed, I provide a stop linger 344which is rigid with a bell crank lever 261. When the Total key 169 orthe Non-add key 264 is depressed, the stop finger 344 swings with thebell crank lever 261 into position to support a pin 345 on the latch314'i for the sign-printing hammer 300', whereby said latch is preventedfrom interfering with the movement of said hammer when the latter isreleased by the universal latch 329.

In order to hold the totalizer lever` 172 (iig. 5) against effectivemovement after the handle 27 has started back to initial position, andalso to prevent depression of the Non-add l ey-264 after the handle hascom menced to return, I provide a lug 346 (Fig. 2) on the universallatch 329 which moves inte place over aflug 347 on the stop finger 344when said latch is disengaged from the hammers. After' the hammers havebeen re leased the machinecannot be clearedfnor addition prevented.

'Various changes may be made in the construction herein disclosedwithoutdepart ing from the spirit and scope of the invention` deiinedinthe appended claims.

I claim as myinvention :n

1`. A. printing l,mechanism comprising a .type bar having a notchtherein, a springactuated hammer,.a pivoted latch arrangedV to entersaid notch or engage the edge of l rangedto'engage said lugv to cock theham-` mer, a latch to hold the hammer cocked, said member beingarranged'to move said partinto and out of latch-restraining position,

means for operating said member and the second mentioned latch, a Totalkey, a Nonadd key, and a part movable on the depression of either ofsaid ke'ys to restrain the first mentioned latch from interfering withthe movement of said hammer. i-

2. A printing mechanism comprising a type bar having a notch-therein, aspringactuated hammer, a pivoted latch arranged to.-,enter said notch orengage the edge of said type bar below saidnotch, said latch tending toswing into engagement with said notch, and being then in position torestrain the hammer, a part to move the latch out of engagement withsaid'type bar, said hammer having a lug thereon, a member arranged toengage said lug to cock the hammer, a latch to hold thehammer cocked,said niember being arranged to move said part into and out of latchrestraining position, means for operating said member and the secondmentioned latch. a Total key, and a part movable on the depression ofsaid key to restrain the first mentioned latch from interfering with themovement of said hammer.

3. A 'printing mechanism comprising a type bar having a notch therein, aspringactuated hammer, a pivoted latch arranged to enter said notch orengage the edge of said type bar below said notch, said latch tending toswing into engagement with said notch and being then in position torestrain the hammer, a part to move the latch out of engagement withsaid type bar, said hammer having a lug thereon, a member arranged toengage said lug to cock the hammer, a latch to hold thehammer cocked,said member being arranged to move said part into and out of latchrestraining position, and means for operating said member and the secondmentioned latch, a Non-add key, and a part movable on the depression ofsaid key to restrain vthe first mentioned latch from interfering withthe movement of said hammer.

4. A printing mechanism comprising a type bar having a notch therein, aspringactuated hammer, a pin on said hammer, a pivoted latch, a stud onsaid latch arranged to enter said notch or engage the edge of said typebar below said Inotch, Said latch tending to swing to place said stud insaid notch, said latch being in `the path of movement of said pin whensaid stud is in said notch and thus serving to restrain the hammer, apart to move the latch out of engagement with said type bar, said hammerhaving a lug thereon, a member arranged to engage said lug to cock thehammer, a latch to hold the hammer cocked, said member being arranged tomove said part into and out of latch-restraining position, and means foroperating said member and the second mentioned latch.

5. A printing mechanism comprising a series of type bars each having anotch therein, a series of pivoted spring-actuated hammers one for eachtype bar, a pin on each hammer, pivotedl latches alternating with thehammers, a stud on each latch arranged to enter the notch-in theadjacent type bar or engage the edge of said type bar below the notch,said latch tending to swing to place said stud in said notch, said latchbeing in the path of movement of said pin when said stud is in saidnotch and thus serving to restrain the hammer, a universal bar to movethe latches out of engagement with the type bars, means for operatingthe universal bar, and means for cocking the hammers and for releasingthem to the restraint of the latches.

6. A printing mechanism comprising -a series of type bars each having anotch therein, a pivoted spring-actuated hammer for each type bar, alatch pivoted alongside each hammer on an axis above the axis of thchammer, said latch being arranged to enter said notch or engage -theedge of said type bar below said notch, said latch tending to swingdownwardly into engagement with said notch and being then in position torcstrain the hammer, a universal bar to move the latches out ofengagement with the ty e bars, each hammer having a lug thereon, auniversal rod arranged to engage said lugs to cock the hammers, a latchto hold the hammers cocked, said universal rod being arranged to movesaid universal bar into and out of latch-engaging position, and meansfor operating'sald unlversal rod and the last mentioned latch.

7 A printing mechanism comprising a type bar having a notch therein, aspringactuated hammer, a pivoted latch arranged to enter said notch orengage the edge of said type bar below said notch, said latch tending toswing-into engagement with said notch and being then in position torestrain the hammer, a part to move the latch out ot' engagement withsaid type bar, said hammer having a lug thereon, a member arranged toengage said lug to cock the hammer, a latch to hold the hammer cocked,said member being arranged to move said part into and out oflatch-restraining position, and means for operating said member and thesecond mentioned latch.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

OSCAR J. SUNDSTRAND.

